Kurnool: Postal Ballot Facilities Offered to Essential Service Workers for Polls

Kurnool: District collector and district election officer G. Srijana said that the Central Election Commission was offering postal ballot facilities to 33 departments engaged in essential services and participating in election duties.

According to Section 60 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, certain categories of voters are eligible to vote via postal ballot, she added. The collector clarified on Sunday that people who have applied for a postal ballot would not be allowed to vote at the polling centre at any cost.

She explained that service voters would receive their ballots directly from the returning officer through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), eliminating the need for them to apply separately. However, special voters must submit their applications at least 10 days prior to the polling date. Similarly, voters on election duty are required to apply 7 days before the polling date.

For preventive detention voters, the state government will provide their names and details to the returning officer within 15 days of the notification and the application can be sent directly to the returning officer while under detention. Notified voters, including absentee voters and those above 85 years of age, must submit their applications to the booth level officers who will then forward them to the returning officer and assistant returning officer.

She further stated that absentee voters with disabilities must attach a certificate issued by an authorised officer and those infected with Covid-19 must provide a certificate issued by the relevant medical and health department.